Author: Gugu Lourie

South Africa’s municipal councillors are “looting” food parcel meant to be distributed to the poor across the country as millions go hungry because of the national lockdown. The alleged incidents of corruption and food looting currently taking place have been reported in several provinces, where claims are being made that those in charge of the distributions – mostly ANC councillors – are not giving the food to the needy families, according to City Press. The newspaper stated that there are fears that food-related protests, which have flared up in some provinces, could escalate if the national government does not intervene.…

Andile Ramaphosa, son of President Cyril Ramaphosa, and businessmen Brad Fisher have set up a project to enable micro-suppliers to earn a living during the national lockdown. Andile owns SDI (Supplier Development Initiatives) a company that introduces micro-suppliers to larger companies. SDI is an existing services-on-demand platform that uplifts micro-suppliers across multiple industries. Fisher and Andile have set up a new programme, SDI Force, which gathers donations for personal protective equipment (PPE) and clothing to enable micro-suppliers to earn a living while doing their bit to combat the virus. SDI Force was initially set up to focus on and assist…

South African Food Sovereignty Campaign co-founder Vishwas Satgar told the Sunday Times that their estimates were that the number of “food-stressed people” had doubled from last year to 30-million. This includes 4-million people in the informal sector who cannot work and 18-million people on social grants who do not earn enough to buy increasingly expensive food, according to the newspaper. The organisation represents small-scale farmers, farmworkers and food NGOs. “There are 1-million domestic workers and nearly 90,000 waste-pickers who don’t have money to buy food. There are 3.5-million elderly people and 12-million children whose grants are not enough to buy…

In anticipation of additional cases of COVID-19 infections, the South African government is setting up emergency field hospitals and quarantine sites. The country is moving to establish 1,644 emergency field hospitals and quarantine sites, according to the Sunday Times. One of the venues in Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg, which will hold 2,000 beds. Western Cape government said two acute treatment facilities will be constructed in the Cape Town metro and one in a rural area. In the Eastern Cape, marquees will be erected for field hospitals. According to a report tabled by the health department before parliament’s health portfolio…

A 28-year-old family business is looking to crowdfunding to keep its food retail chain afloat and save about 600 jobs. Gilli Apter, the daughter of the founders of Anat, is hoping to keep the family business alive for the next generation to come. Anat is a beloved, Middle Eastern food brand founded in South Africa in 1992 popular known for its lovely falafels and shawarmas. South Africa was placed on national lockdown by President CyrilRamaphosa until the end of April in a move to curb the spread of the deadly COVID-19. For more read: Coronavirus: South Africa Extends Lockdown by Two Weeks Anat said…

Intergovernmental Fintech Working Group (IFWG) has recommended that crypto assets – such as bitcoin – remain without legal tender status and not be recognised as electronic money. IFWG is made up of the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), the National Credit Regulator (NCR), National Treasury, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). In its latest policy paper, the group of South African financial sector regulators provides specific recommendations for the development of a regulatory framework for crypto assets, including suggestions on the required regulatory changes to be implemented. IFWG further…

South Africa’s communications watchdog has allocated a special phone number for COVID-19 emergencies. The Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) has allocated the phone number “111” for use for COVID-19 emergency services. “The service code ‘111’ is hereby harmonised and mandated for COVID-19 national emergency services,” Dr. Keabetswe Modimoeng, ICASA’s acting chairperson, said in new regulations published today. Calls to the COVID-19 emergency number will be free. “The ‘111’ service code is mandated for COVID-19 national emergency services during the National State of Disaster. The service code “111” will cease to be harmonised and mandated within three (3) months after…

Wits University announced on Wednesday that it has instituted an emergency remote teaching and learning programme. The remote programme is one of the measures Wits is implementing to help minimise the lost time during the ongoing lockdown, which was instituted to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The university said in a statement that it has finalised an agreement with four telecommunications service providers: Telkom, MTN, Vodacom and Cell C to zero-rate Wits’ library and learning management sites from 15 April 2020. The full list of zero-rated sites is available via this link:https://www.wits.ac.za/mywits/zero-rated-data-to-students-and-applicants/ “We are working through Universities South…

Capitec has ‘quietly’ entered the unsecured vehicle finance market through a partnership with WeBuyCars. The banking group describes its unsecured lending product as ‘purpose lending”. It has opened its first outlet inside the WeBuyCars dealership at Brackenfell warehouse in the Western Cape. Gerrie Fourie, Capitec CEO, disclosed during the company’s 2020 financial results presentation on Tuesday that the bank has already granted nine loans within 15 days at the WeBuyCars warehouse. He said these loans were granted three weeks before the national lockdown began. Fourie said Capitec’s first ‘purpose lending’ client bought a 2VW Touareg 3.0 V6 TD1, 2010 model…

The total remuneration for Gerrie Fourie, Capitec boss, has been reduced by R22 million to R72 million in 2020 financial year. The banking group revealed in its 2020 annual report that Fourie’s total remuneration was R72 million versus R94.9 million in 2019. Fourie’s guaranteed pay amounts to R12.8 million and R54 million in long-term incentives. Capitec chief financial officer, Andre du Plessis, was paid R52 million, down from R65 million in 2019. While risk management executive, Nkosana Mashiya, pocketed R22 million versus R20 million in 2019. Capitec’s headline earnings grew to R6.28 billion in 2020 financial year versus R5.29 billion…

Capitec Bank revealed today that it has signed up more than 1.5 million new customers for the year end-February 2020. According to the bank, digital and self-service banking saved its clients R474 million during the year whilst the migration created more capacity in its branch network. “We now have 6.7 million retail clients making use of our digital channels (banking app and USSD) up from 5.2 million in 2019,” the bank informed investors on Monday. However, some customers still like visiting brick and mortar branches. During the year under review, the bank said about 7.8 million (2019: 6.6 million) retail…

The Gauteng Liquor Forum, which wants restrictions on the sale of alcohol eased during an extended lockdown, is threatening court action against the South African government. The South African government banned the sale of alcohol during the lockdown that started on 26 March 2020, was due to expire on 16 April and was extended to month-end. The forum, which is a non-profit organisation of stakeholders made up of associations of mostly township based Shebeens and Taverns, represent about 20,000 micro and small businesses around Gauteng. Also read: Coronavirus: SA Liquor Makers Want Booze Restrictions Eased Struggling South Africa’s liquor makers…

Vodacom boss Shameel Joosub to donate a third of his salary as part of a contribution to South Africa’s fight against the coronavirus. The funds will be donated to the Solidarity Fund. The fund, which was created by President Cyril Ramaphosa, enables individuals and organisations to contribute to the detection and prevention of COVID-19, to provide care for those that need medical care and to support those whose lives have been disrupted by the health crisis. “Vodacom can confirm that Joosub, has heeded the call by President Cyril Ramaphosa and will donate a third of his salary for the next…

Police Minister Bheki Cele has vowed to crack down on illegal alcohol sales during uring South Africa’s lockdown. News24 reported that Cele is also targeting alcohol looters, who have struck several times since the lockdown began. On Thursday, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the extension of the lockdown by two more weeks. For more read: Coronavirus: South Africa Extends Lockdown by Two Week The lockdown, which started on 26 March 2020, was due to expire on 16 April. South Africa’s first case of COVID-19 was reported on 5 March 2020, when a KwaZulu-Natal man came back home after travelling abroad. “Sober…

The fear of police knocking at the door at any time to seek answers about her alleged violation of the lockdown regulations grips Communications and Digital Technology Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, the City Press reported. A close associate revealed to the newspaper that: ”She is quite scared and worried about the police.” Mduduzi Manana, a former deputy minister of higher education and training, posted a picture to Instagram of Ndabeni-Abrahams and others having a meal at his house during the lockdown. President Cyril Ramaphosa has placed his communications minister, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, on “special leave” for two months, of which one month…

Struggling South Africa’s liquor makers want restrictions on the sale of alcohol eased during an extended lockdown. On Thursday, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the extension of the lockdown by two more weeks. For more read: Coronavirus: South Africa Extends Lockdown by Two Week The lockdown, which started on 26 March 2020, was due to expire on 16 April. South Africa’s first case of COVID-19 was reported on 5 March 2020, when a KwaZulu-Natal man came back home after travelling abroad. The Sunday Times reported that the government is putting together an emergency plan to kick-start SA’s economy after the…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that the deputy president, members of the cabinet, and himself will all take a pay cut as part of a contribution to South Africa’s fight against the coronavirus. “We have decided that the President, Deputy President, Ministers and Deputy Ministers will each take a one-third cut in their salaries for the next three months,” Ramaphosa said on Thursday night. “This portion of their salaries will be donated to the Solidarity Fund.” “We are calling on other public office bearers and executives of large companies to make a similar gesture and to further increase the reach…

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday night announced the extension of the lockdown by two more weeks. The lockdown, which started on 26 March 2020, was due to expire on 16 April. South Africa’s first case of COVID-19 was reported on 5 March 2020, when a KwaZulu-Natal man came back home after travelling abroad. “There is sufficient evidence that shows that the lockdown is working. Since the lockdown came into effect, the rate at which new cases have been identified in SA has slowed down COVID-19,” said Ramaphosa on Thursday night. “If we end the lockdown too soon or…

Pick n Pay is introducing ‘Scan & Pay’ technology at all till points nationwide to allow customers to go completely contactless when paying for their shop. Pick n Pay was the first major retailer in South Africa to introduce contactless ‘Tap & Go’ card payments, and they have now enhanced their payment devices to offer QR payments through Masterpass. Masterpass lets customers securely download a free digital wallet from any of the major South African banks to their mobile phone. Customers can then safely and simply pay for their purchase by scanning the QR code at the till from the…

Shoprite, Usave, Checkers and Checkers Hyper stores shoppers can now use smartphones to pay for their groceries s the retailers continues to find new ways to keep its stores, customers and employees safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. The food retailer said the dynamic QR payments will be available at the tills within the next two months. Customers simply have to scan the QR code at the till point with their phones and pay with Masterpass, SnapScan, Zapper, FNB Pay or Nedbank Pay in any of the Group’s stores. Africa’s largest food retailer said the amount payable will automatically display on the customer’s phone, leaving…

It is still too early to estimate the scope of any impact on Africa’s most valuable company Naspers’s operations and financial information, particularly in view of rising global infections and evolving government responses to the coronavirus outbreak. However, Naspers – South African-based tech and media giant – which owns global tech investor Prosus, believes that it faces this challenging period from a position of relative financial strength and with sufficient liquidity to both navigate the changing environment and seek out new opportunities. Late on Wednesday, Naspers informed investors that it closed its financial year on 31 March 2020 with more…

Former South African Airways (SAA) CEO Vuyani Jarana quietly acquires a shareholding in Mobax, a technology investment and holding firm. Last May, Jarana left SAA having served just over two years as the boss of the struggling airline. He cited slow decision-making and red tape at the airline, as well as blurred lines of accountability, for his departure. Mobax announced on Wednesday that Jarana has joined the investment and holding firm as a shareholder and assumed the role of a chairman. The company didn’t disclose the details of the transaction and what it really entails. Mobax is an unknown company and…

Old Mutual today announced that it is making R4 billion worth of cover available to approximately 430 000 registered healthcare workers across South Africa. This implies that every single one of South Africa’s registered healthcare workers will now be entitled to free life insurance worth R10,000. The amount becomes payable in the event of the death of qualifying healthcare workers and is intended to provide relief to families who may have to deal with the tragic loss of a loved one during COVID-19. The R4 billion worth of cover is available to approximately 430 000 registered healthcare workers across South…

ICT industry veteran Andile Ngcaba’s and chairman of inq., a Pan-African digital service provider, has called on Africa to develop a clear pan-African digital strategy. Ngcaba was speaking at the company’s Zoom Webinar launch. “The Second World War fundamentally changed the geopolitical and economic systems. The end of that war saw the establishment of the United Nation, World Bank and many other institutions. These organisations instituted in a new form of global capital markets driven by foreign direct investments. Like other pandemics they have come before it, COVID-19 will fundamentally change the global architecture and operating models to what we…

ICT industry veteran Andile Ngcaba’s inq., a Pan-African digital service provider, wants to be Africa’s number one artificial intelligence (AI) service provider. The company has points of contacts in 12 African cities, Johannesburg, Gaborone, Lusaka, Ndola, Blantyre, Lilongwe, Mzuzu, Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kanu and Abidjan. inq. is formerly known as Synergy Communications. It has concluded the 100% acquisition of Vodacom Business Africa’s operations in Nigeria, Zambia and Cote d’Ivoire with a further planned acquisition in Cameroon pending regulatory approvals. For more read: Andile Ngcaba’s Firm Buys Three Vodacom Business Africa Operations inq.’s flagship investments included Internet Solutions Mozambique, Skyband Malawi…